1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arm record cleaner of the type that may be supported adjacent a rotatable turntable to track along a record rotated thereby so as to provide cleaning of the record grooves while the record is being played.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Arm record cleaners have heretofore been utilized to clean records as the records are rotated on a turntable. These cleaners include an arm with a cleaning head that tracks along the record grooves in the same manner as the tone arm sensing head that senses the sound recorded within the grooves. Certain problems have been encountered with these prior arm record cleaners.
Vertical adjustment of the arm record cleaners has not heretofore been completely satisfactory due to the vertical supports which have been utilized. Conventionally, a vertical pin is received within a frustoconical hole that extends through the arm in a downwardly pointing orientation. Upward and downward movement of the arm on the pin is permitted to give the proper vertical height. However, this construction does not allow for the use of a counterbalance on the rear end of the arm opposite the front end which supports the cleaning head. Nevertheless, the vertical adjustment is necessary since the cleaner must sometimes be mounted on a sprung metal frame which supports the record turntable and sometimes on a base that supports the metal frame from a different elevation. Also, cleaners of this type which have not been vertically adjustable have incorporated counterbalances that are positioned by set screws, friction, or notch adjustments to control the tracking pressure between the cleaning head and the record. These adjustments have not been satisfactory in accurately controlling the tracking pressure.
Cleaning heads of the arms have heretofore utilized brushes and/or cleaning projections with soft pile coverings for cleaning the records. Best cleaning can be achieved when both a brush and a soft pile covered projection are utilized. Usually, the cleaning projections have taken the form of rollers that engage the record. Proper positioning of the brush and the cleaning projection on the head relative to each other is necessary so that each applies a portion of the tracking pressure to the record and thereby provides an effective cleaning function, the brush loosening dust accumulation within the record grooves and the cleaning projection also loosening and removing the dust accumulation as well as removing any static electrical charge the record has acquired. In connection with removing the electrical charge, the cleaning projection preferably is slightly dampened or moistened with a cleaning liquid. Also, the brush is preferably angularly oriented so as to drag along the record with the centerline through its bristles angularly oriented approximately 20.degree. to 30.degree. from the vertical. This positioning and angular orientation must also be maintained when two or more records are on the turntable.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,203,701 and 3,822,065 disclose known arm record cleaners.